1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to submersible apparatus having a compartment for receiving bait or fish-attracting material. More specifically, the present invention relates to an anchor for anchoring a vessel and attracting fish to an area proximate the vessel.
2. Background Information
For years it has been a common practice to chum fishing waters with pieces of bait fish, offal, blood, and the like to attract fish and aquatic life to a fishing area. Most commonly, chumming is accomplished by manually distributing the fish-attracting material over the surface of the water. This method is effective for attracting fish to the surface of the water, but the fish-attracting material sinks below the surface of the water at a relatively slow rate due to its light weight, and thus does not attract deeper water species.
Others have attempted to solve the problem of placing fish-attracting material at or near the bottom of a body of water. U.S. Pat. No. 455,758, Jul. 14, 1891 to Moulsong discloses a bait cage that is attached to an anchor chain and suspended under water by a rope and pulley apparatus. This apparatus, because it is used in conjunction with an anchor and with a separate suspension device, is cumbersome in operation and provides, in addition to an anchor, a separate large device that would not be convenient in a small fishing vessel. U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,127, Mar. 22, 1949 to Stark discloses a device for attracting fish that is connected into a fishing line intermediate a sinker and the fisherman. The device includes an interior chamber adapted to hold a scented fluid that is attractive to fish and a plurality of fish hooks are secured to the exterior of the device. The device is provided with a valve, wherein the scented fluid is released when the fisherman pulls on the fishing line. Again, this device requires a separate component (the sinker) to submerge the apparatus containing fish-attracting material. U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,358 discloses a cylindrical, perforated chum pot and bait bucket, the cover of which can be removed to function as a bottom sounder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,794 discloses a combination sinker and bait juice dispenser having a weight between four and six ounces. A sponge is provided in the interior of the sinker to absorb bait juice. A spring-loaded mechanism is provided for selective compression of the sponge to increase its absorption of bait juice.
None of these disclosures address the need for a single, integrated anchor apparatus for a vessel that is provided with a bait compartment for receiving a fish-attracting material without the need for separate containers, sinkers and the like.